1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure for fixing a terminal to a connector housing in which the terminal is fixed into a terminal accommodating chamber formed on the connector housing.
2. Background
FIG. 7 is a view showing a terminal 1 described in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 2-299176, and FIGS. 8a, 8b and 8c are views showing a connector housing 2 in which a terminal accommodating chamber 8 accommodating the terminal 1 is formed.
The terminal 1 is formed in such a manner that a sheet member is punched in a developed condition and bent into the shape of the terminal 1 shown in FIG. 7. The terminal 1 includes a contact section 3 for mating with a mate terminal on one side thereof, and a wire connecting section 4 for connecting with an end portion of an electric wire on the other side thereof. The contact section 3 has a pair of resilient pieces 5, 5 which are opposed to each other. When a mate terminal is inserted between these resilient pieces 5, 5, the terminal 1 is electrically connected with a mate terminal. The wire connecting section 4 has a pair of pressure blades 6, 6 formed by bending both side walls. When an end portion of the electric wire is press connected between the pressure blades 6, 6, the end portion of the electric wire and the terminal 1 are electrically connected with each other. Furthermore, an engaging piece 7 is formed between the contact section 3 and the wire connecting section 4, such that the engaging piece 7 is cut out and raised upwardly. The engaging piece 7 is engaged with a terminal release hole 11 formed in the inner wall of the terminal accommodating chamber 8, so that the terminal 1 cannot separate from the terminal accommodating chamber 8 while the terminal 1 is accommodated in the connector housing 2.
As shown in FIGS. 8a, 8b and 8c, the terminal accommodating chamber 8 includes an opening 9 formed in one side thereof, and an opening 10 formed in the other side thereof. The opening 9 allows an insertion of a mate terminal into the terminal accommodating chamber 8. The opening 10 allows an insertion of the terminal 1 into the terminal accommodating chamber 8.
The terminal release hole 11 is formed in an upper wall of the connector housing 2 to communicate the terminal accommodating chamber 8 with the outside. The engaging piece 7 of the terminal 1 is engaged with an opening edge portion of the terminal release hole 11 inside the accommodating chamber 8.
As shown in FIG. 8a, when the terminal 1 is inserted from the opening 10 into the terminal accommodating chamber 8 until the front end portions of the resilient pieces 5, 5 are positioned at the side of the connector housing 2 with opening, the engaging piece 7 is engaged with the terminal release hole 11. Accordingly, the terminal 1 is completely accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber 8 so as to prevent the terminal 1 from coming off from the terminal accommodating chamber 8.
On the other hand, the terminal 1 can be drawn out from the terminal accommodating chamber 8 by use of a tool for drawing the terminal 1. Specifically, the tool is inserted into the terminal release hole 11 and the engaging piece 7 is pushed by the tool so that the engaging piece 7 can be disengaged from the terminal release hole 11. Accordingly, the terminal 1 can be drawn out from the terminal accommodating chamber 8.
In this case, if the terminal release hole 11 is provided on a surface (engaging surface) on which the opening 9 is formed, there is a possibility that the tool is mistakenly inserted through the opening 9 into the terminal accommodating chamber 8. In addition, the contact section 3 of the terminal 1 may be damaged. In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the terminal release hole 11 is provided perpendicularly to the opening 9 of the terminal accommodating chamber 8 in the upper surface of the connector housing 2. According to the this arrangement, it is possible to prevent damage of the terminal 1.
However, in the case where the terminal release hole 11 is formed in the upper surface of the connector housing 2, the following problems may be encountered. Since the terminal release hole 11 is located in an under-cut portion with respect to a metal mold drawing direction (shown by arrow "a" in FIGS. 8a-8c in order to mold the connector housing 2, it is necessary to provide a sliding metal mold capable of moving in a direction perpendicular to the metal mold drawing direction in order to mold the connector housing 2 with the terminal release hole 11 in the upper surface. As a result, the structure of the metal mold to form the connector housing 2 may become complicated, and the number of parts of the sliding mechanism for the sliding metal mold will increase thereby increasing the parts cost. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost of the connector housing 2 is increased.
In addition, since the engaging piece 7, which engages with the opening edge portion of the terminal release hole 11, is formed by cutting and raising the portion of the contact section to be resilient the engaging piece 7 may be deformed when an excessively high intensity of drawing force is applied to the engaging piece 7. Furthermore, when the engagement of the engaging piece 7 with the terminal release hole 11 is released by the tool, the engaging piece 7 may be plastically deformed if an excessively high intensity of force is applied to the engaging piece 7. Therefore, in the structure of the terminal 1, the engaging piece 7 prevents the terminal 1 from coming off from the terminal accommodating chamber 8 and is susceptible to damage when an excessively high intensity of force is applied.